If You Love Me, Let Me Sleep
by NoReasonJustBored
Summary: I keep forgetting to also upload my stories from Tumblr on here and A03. So...my bad. Follow me on Tumblr @noreasonjustbored


The rhythmic buzzing of her phone against the nightstand is what eventually wakes Charlotte up. Bleary eyed and disoriented she felt around for the device. When she finally disconnected it from the charger and peered at the screen through squinted eyes, she realized that she wasn't awakened by random notifications from apps. Henry had been calling her repeatedly.

Immediately more alert than before, she sits up against her headboard and clears her throat. Hitting the Call Back button she reaches over to the nightstand again and grabs the bottle of water she leaves there every night. She takes a large swig as the phone dials. The line is mid ring when she hears it get picked up.

"Hello?" Henry's gravely tone all but whispers.

Swallowing quickly, Char answers, "Hey Hen is everything okay? I see you called me like 5 times but I was sleeping. Does Ray need us for something?"

"No, Ray doesn't need anything. I was uh...hoping that we could talk."

"Talk? Dude. It's three in the morning" Charlotte responds incredulously after glancing at her alarm clock flashing 3:07 in bright red font.

"I know, I know. It's just that I couldn't sleep and I really need to talk to you."

"Can't this wait until the morning?" Charlotte groans.

"Well as you so elequently informed me. It is the morning."

"Ha ha. Real cute."

"Look, please just humor me."

"OK fine. What'd you wanna talk about?"

"Actually... can we talk in person?"

"Are you serious right now?!" Char whispered shouts.

"I know but I'm kinda...already outside."

"What?" she asks while throwing the covers over her legs and making her way to the window. Pulling back the curtain, she sees a lanky figure that gives her a stilted wave from their spot below the window.

"What are you doing at my house?"

"I told you that I need to talk to you. Can you please just come down?" he asks. She can see him running his hand through his hair from here.

"Fine" Charlotte huffs. "Give me one second" she says as she backs away and hangs up her pear phone.

Looking around her room she locates her fluffy bunny slippers and slips them on. Then she grabs the first warm article of clothing she sees, a hoodie thrown over her desk chair.

Slipping it over her head, she quickly makes her way down the stairs of her home, careful not to make too much noise. She opens the door and sees that Henry has made his way to the swing on her front porch. He is looking down at the hands in his lap. His thumbs are twirling anxious circles around each other.

Closing the door behind her gently, Charlotte walks over and takes a seat on the opposite end of the swing. Folding one leg beneath her, she turns to face her friend inquisitively. She doesn't say anything, she figures that he would start since he was the one that interrupted her slumber after all. As she observes his posture, she can feel the nervous energy radiating from him in waves. She places a gentle hand on his knee, hoping to coax him into speech.

He whips his head up at the touch and takes a quick breath in at the sight before him. Taking in every detail, the first thing he makes note of is her hair. She has it up in a style she once told him was called a pineapple, with a satin scarf tied around the front to protect her edges. He sees her eyes, semi-glazed over from the lack of sleep. He notices the oversized blue hoodie that she is wearing, sleeves so long that they cover her hands. She has the bottom situated over her knees.

That's my jacket.

Henry stares for a few more seconds, because even just woken up she is beautiful. He gulps and then says the first thing that pops into his mind.

"It looks good on you."

Giving him a puzzled gaze, Charlotte asks in a sarcastic tone "What looks good on me? Exhaustion?"

Instead of answering verbally, he gestures to her torso.

She glances down at herself and sees that she was wearing Henry's sweatshirt. She hadn't even realized it was his in her haste to meet him outside.

"Is this what you woke me up in the middle of the night for?"

He shakes his head then clears his throat. "No. Sorry, I was just distracted by you in my clothes."

"Why? Did you need this back?" she wonders while starting to pull it up, exposing her toned midriff as her undershirt rides up with the hoodie. He could also now see the small black shorts she was wearing, that were hidden when the garment was on correctly.

"No!" Henry said a touch too loudly while pulling her wrists down to keep her from taking it all the way off. "Keep it. It looks better on you anyway."

"Okaaayyyy. You're being really weird Hen" Charlotte states while adjusting the hoodie over her knees once more. "Why are you here?"

Inhaling a deep breath, Henry took the plunge. "Mick Jagger. Are you really dating that guy?"

"That's definitely not his name. You know his name Henry, you've said it."

"Whatever."

"Does it matter?"

"It's just that we didn't even know that you knew him. Then all of a sudden he's here. And you're going on a date? What's that about?" he asks nervously.

"Well as we discovered earlier, I've told you guys several times about Jack. It's not my fault that you didn't listen to me."

"True, it's just...I feel like we should've known that you had a boyfriend."

"Who said he was my boyfriend?"

"You did, didn't you?"

"I don't recall using that particular word."

"Right. Well does he- does he know about us?"

"Us?"

"Yeah, does he know about..." Henry pauses. "Dream-gate?" he finishes in an exaggerated whisper.

"Dream-gate?" she chuckles. "I thought we decided that those dreams didn't mean anything."

"I mean yes- We did. But like, we still- And it was- If I was your-"

"Henry, what is this really about?" Charlotte interrupts his rambling.

"It's just- what if I want the dreams to mean something?"

Taken aback by his bluntness, Charlotte loses her train of thought. "What do you want them to mean?" she inquires quietly.

Henry slides closer to her. "I don't know. That we like each other? I mean, I know that I like you."

She takes some time to truly process his words. "I like you too."

Henry's whole face lights up at her declaration. "Really?"

"Really."

"What about Jack?"

"Who? Oh! Jack. We aren't together."

Henry's face read pure bewilderment. "But what about your date? You fed each other bread earlier."

"Not real. I just said that to see if it bothered you."

"Huh. No wonder you guys didn't have any chemistry" he mumbles under his breath.

"And then when you guys burned down my kitchen-"

Henry winces.

"-and we had to relocate to the ManCave, it was the perfect opportunity to gauge your reaction. I convinced Jack to pretend with me in order to make you jealous."

"Wow, ok. Because I was confused about you guys supposedly dating this whole time."

"Yeah, no. Jack's just a good friend. I do usually cook for him when he visits me though. But it's only friendly."

"That makes sense."

"You know, I prepared Jack for the possibility that you would act snotty towards him. Drop food in his lap, spill his drink on his shirt, that kind of thing."

"Classic" Henry grins.

"But you didn't even flinch while you were serving us. I thought I was being delusional about your feelings for me since you didn't do any of that. You didn't even seem to care."

Henry grabs her hands gently. "Of course I cared. I was giving him the stank eye every time you turned your back."

Charlotte laughs, "For real?"

"Heck yeah. But I couldn't ruin your date Char. I just wanted you to be happy. Even if it wasn't with me."

"Whoa. When did you get so mature?"

"I am a grown man Char."

Charlotte places a hand on her hip and gives him "the look".

After a few moments they break into a fit of giggles. Calming first from their laughing fit, Henry stares at Charlotte with a small smile on his face.

"What?" Char asks when she's composed herself.

"Can I kiss you?"

"Yes."


End file.
